Wednesday, December 8, 2010

/PRNewswire/ -- Channel 2 WSB-TV and The Trust for Public Land (TPL) have announced that Angel Poventud is Atlanta's 2010 Cox Conserves Hero. He was nominated for the program, selected as a finalist by local environmental leaders and ultimately named as the Hero after receiving the most votes in an online public poll. Poventud has selected Trees Atlanta to receive the $5,000 award.

He was nominated for his volunteer work within Atlanta's environmental community. Poventud's weekends are spent planting and mulching with Trees Atlanta. He also frequently volunteers for BeltLine clean-up projects and helps the group convert abandoned rail corridors into parks.

"I started volunteering to plant trees, and I quickly realized it's the most rewarding thing I can do in the city," said Poventud. "It's important to utilize vacant lots. When you do, trees start getting planted and birds start chirping. Before you know it, nature happens."

Poventud was named Atlanta's 2010 Cox Conserves Hero at a reception held at and sponsored by the Hotel Palomar. Each of the other four finalists received $1,250 to donate to their environmental nonprofits of choice:

This is the second year Cox Conserves Heroes has taken place in Atlanta. Don Wells - an advocate for conserving and enjoying the open spaces of the North Georgia Mountains – was named Atlanta's 2009 Cox Conserves Hero. As Wells' environmental nonprofit of choice, Mountain Stewards received $5,000 that was used to build new public trails and connect students with nature through outdoor classrooms.

The Cox Conserves Heroes program was created through a partnership between The Trust for Public Land and Cox Enterprises, the parent company of Channel 2 WSB-TV, to honor everyday conservationists. The program also runs in New Orleans, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle. For more information, visit www.CoxConservesHeroes.com or find us on Facebook.